Here's what you would need to create an effective MIDI composition system built on FluidSynth:
Core MIDI Functions for Your MCP Server
- FluidSynth Integration Functions
initialize_fluidsynth() - Set up FluidSynth with proper configurations
load_soundfont(soundfont_path) - Load SoundFont files (.sf2) for instrument sounds
set_gain(gain_value) - Control the overall volume of the synth
set_reverb(room_size, damping, width, level) - Configure reverb effects
set_chorus(nr, level, speed, depth, type) - Configure chorus effects
- MIDI Composition Functions
play_note(note, velocity, duration, channel) - Play single notes with control over velocity and duration
play_chord(notes, velocity, duration, channel) - Play multiple notes simultaneously as chords
create_sequence(notes, durations, velocities, channel) - Create sequences of notes with timing
play_midi_file(file_path) - Load and play existing MIDI files
record_midi(duration) - Record MIDI input for a specified duration
- Advanced Musical Functions
create_melody(scale, key, length, rhythm_pattern) - Generate melodies based on musical rules
create_chord_progression(progression, style, tempo) - Create harmonic progressions with different voicings
create_drum_pattern(style, tempo, variations) - Generate rhythmic patterns for percussion
create_arpeggio(chord, pattern, tempo) - Create arpeggiated patterns from chord structures
create_bassline(chord_progression, style, tempo) - Generate bass patterns that complement chord progressions
- Composition Management
create_track(name, instrument, channel) - Create a new track with specified instrument
mute_track(track_id) - Silence a specific track
solo_track(track_id) - Solo a specific track
set_track_volume(track_id, volume) - Adjust volume for individual tracks
set_track_pan(track_id, pan) - Adjust stereo positioning
- Project Management
create_project(name, tempo, time_signature) - Initialize a new composition project
save_project(path) - Save the current project state
load_project(path) - Load a saved project
export_midi(path) - Export the composition as a standard MIDI file
export_audio(path, format) - Render the composition to audio using FluidSynth
- Real-time Collaboration and Interaction
start_midi_server(port) - Start a server that listens for MIDI events
connect_midi_device(device_name) - Connect to external MIDI hardware
send_midi_event(event_type, parameters) - Send MIDI events to connected devices
sync_tempo(tempo) - Synchronize tempo across connected systems
Implementation Approach
Based on the SuperCollider MCP server I examined, here's how you could structure your FluidSynth MIDI server:
Python Backend: Use Python with the python-osc library for communication and pyfluidsynth for FluidSynth integration
MCP Protocol Implementation: Create a server that follows the Model Context Protocol structure
Architecture:
AI Assistant (Claude) calls methods on your MCP Server
Your server translates these to FluidSynth commands
FluidSynth generates the actual audio
Getting Started
To build this system, you would need to:
Create a Python project with the necessary dependencies:
pyfluidsynth - For FluidSynth integration
mcp - For MCP protocol support
python-osc - For OSC communication (if needed)
mido - For MIDI file handling
Create a main server file (e.g., server.py) that:
Initializes FluidSynth
Registers all your music composition methods
Handles communication with Claude
Design the method signatures in a way that allows Claude to easily compose music, with well-defined parameters and reasonable defaults.
